Taking a pet to the vet is a nightmare for most. Loading a cat into a box is like battling nature itself. That's why PawSquad wants to shake-up the vet-pet dynamic by going online.

The online vet service, being dubbed "veterinary Skype", has launched today. The service offers online video consultation for pet owners.

PawSquad isn't here to replace vets of course but rather to compliment the service. The idea is to be on call so that pet owners can get peace of mind if their pet has a problem. This, in turn, should help to ease the load off vets who can focus on dealing with serious cases that require hands-on attention.

It's thought that PawSquad will undercut a lot of vets for shorter consultations. A 15-minute digital consultation with PawSquad will cost £15, whereas most vets charge around £30 for that time, apparently.

PawSquad pricing also remains the same regardless of the time of day so no £195 emergency consultation fees to worry about then. Presuming it falls within the 6am to midnight operating hours of PawSquad.

"But PawSquad’s lower prices doesn’t mean lower quality," said Andrew Ash, PawSquad chief advisor and former president of British Small Animals Veterinary Association. "All our locum vets are fully qualified and highly experienced to ensure owners can access the highest possible quality of advice and service."